Tartan Dress

It's my favorite kind of day when sunshine, friends, cupcakes and shopping are involved. Add the prettiest rustic old college campus to shoot outfits in into the mix, and it is pretty much perfect. That's exactly what this past weekend was like, when Kushal, a friend and I made the short drive to the charming neighborhood village of East Aurora. We ate some yummy food, I hit the shoe jackpot at the cutest thrift store ever and we spoke for a looong while about all things under the sun, in the sun, over a pot of coffee. Just perfect. But while I longingly wait for what we have already planned out to be another perfect weekend, let's talk some tartan, shall we? :)

Tartan, along with Plaid, has got to be one of Fall's oldest, timeless trends. Tartan Trivia: While the fabric is woven similarly to derive both the tartan and plaid patterns, tartan is originally of Scottish origin, as seen on kilts to this day. My love for tartan stems not only from its exotic origins, but also from my love for the deep color palettes, my amusement with the almost boyish connotation that I tend to associate with anything checked, and the ease of styling it for looks that are dressed up or down. While my plaid shirt is probably one of the most worn everyday pieces in my closet all year round, I adore this dress for those brisk, warm days around this time of year.

This dress was such a lucky find at Forever21's end-of-season sale last year... One lone dress marked over 80% off, and in my size! For a second there, I was Flash. And it was awesome. The navy and black between the red and burgundy allow plenty of room to play around with layers and accessories. Since it was a warm day, I kept the look simple while incorporating both colors and wore knee-high socks in preparation for some chilly evening air. Petite ladies (and otherwise!), if you're packing away your short skirts and dresses until next summer, reconsider.. because when worn with knee or thigh-high socks, you will not only be warm, but also have heads turning at the illusion of slender and long legs. Pair with heels for a slightly sophisticated look, wear with flats for a charming schoolgirl vibe or wear under boots for extra warmth and layering.. they're worth the buy!

Subtle pattern mixing with the tartan print and the chevron sock stripes. Fun, no? :)

What do you think of tartan and plaid? If you have other ways of classing them up, I'd love to know!

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely week!

XO Sushmitha :)

                                      Dress: Forever21 (Love this midi version and this navy one)

                                      Knee-high socks: Target (Similar here)

                                      Shoes: Anne Klein via Lord and Taylor (Similar ones here)

                                      Bag: H&M (Similar here)

                                      Sunglasses: H&M (Similar here)

                                      Cuff Bracelet: Flea Market (Similar here)